


Soulmates: Exodus

by inkandpencil



Series: SoulMark Soulmates [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Darkspawn, Gen, Minor Character Death, This is the one where I divert from canon when it comes to the younger twins, Too many close calls, but that's because Liane is a Mage and Nyxale is a Rogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25191889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkandpencil/pseuds/inkandpencil
Summary: My take on the Soul Marks/Soul Mates AU. Mostly drabbles, but some short tales, all told from Nyxale Hawke's point of view.Nyxale Hawke is the eldest of the four Hawke children, her twin sister Liane is the one known as "Hawke" in Kirkwall and generally takes the lead.-----Time to flee Lothering. If only they hadn't waited so long!
Series: SoulMark Soulmates [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/838347





	Soulmates: Exodus

We stayed too long in Lothering. The two Grey Wardens who had lit the signal beacon had somehow survived and had traveled through town. Carver and I had wanted us all to follow them, but Mother resisted.

Now, we run through the hills, trying to flee and keep Mother safe. She carries a pack containing food stuffs; Liane and Bethany have their own packs, as do Carver and I, and we all have Mother's things with ours to make her load lighter. But Mother is not used to this headlong flight and she falls behind. There are Darkspawn too close. Bethany throws out a wall of fire, frying the leader, though the other two leap through.

Both Carver and I are there to stop them. We regroup around Mother, my brother and I exchanging a glance. This isn't tenable, but I'll be damned if I don't try to get my family to safety!

"I think that's all of them," Carver states. It's more to ease Mother's mind than anything.

"For the moment," Bethany adds, not losing sight of the bigger issue.

"Maker save us, we've lost it all. Everything your father and I built…" Mother looks at Liane, then at me.

"At least we're alive," Liane chimes in. "That's no small feat." I nod.

"Yes, you're right," Mother concedes, taking a deep breath.

"We should have run sooner!" Bethany exclaims, exasperated. I understand her feelings. "Why did we wait so long?"

"Why are you looking at me? I've been running since Ostagar!" Carver responds, defensive. He and I had been trying to get them all to understand the gravity of what was coming, but hadn't been successful.

"Not to interrupt," I say, doing just that, "but the Blight's not going to wait while we stand here pointing fingers." Liane nods, once, in agreement.

"Then let's go," Carver says. "Lead on." So I do. Leading is more Liane's thing, but I take point to help keep everyone safe. We run for a bit, cresting the hill, when Bethany stops us.

"Wait!" she cries. "Where are we going?"

"Away from the Darkspawn. Where else?" Carver sounds confused by his twin's question. Maker knows, I am as well.

"And then where? We can't just wander aimlessly!"

"So long as we wander aimlessly away from the horde, I'm happy," I state. Liane gives me the side-eye. She's thinking along the same lines as Bethany is.

"We can go to Kirkwall," Mother says with decisiveness. I look at her, remembering some of her stories about the city.

"There's a lot of Templars in Kirkwall, Mother," Liane says, the hesitancy in her voice palpable.

"I know that, but we still have family there - and an estate."

I hear Liane's sigh and know already our plan. "Then we need to get to Gwaren and take ship," my twin states.

"If we survive that long," Carver says, starting to walk away. "I'll just be happy to get out of here." The rest of us follow him, but we don't go far before we hear the sounds of a battle up ahead, around the next bend. Unsheathing my daggers as Carver unsheathes his sword, we exchange a glance then rush forward. Bethany and Liane aren't far behind, their staffs at the ready.

We come upon a man and woman fiercely fighting a mob of Darkspawn. Carver and I immediately join in the fray, fire and ice spells firing past us as we go. With our aid, the Darkspawn don't have a chance.

It's after the fighting is over that things get a little sticky.

"Apostates, keep your distance," the man says. He's wearing Templar armor. I groan inwardly - just our luck.

"Well," Bethany says, "the Maker has a sense of humor. Darkspawn, and now a Templar."

"I thought they all abandoned Lothering," Liane chimes in.

"The 'spawn are clear in their intent," the man intones, "but a mage is always unknown. The Order dictates…."

"Wesley," the woman interrupts softly. He doesn't listen.

"The Order dictates…" he repeats, taking several steps forward. I step into his path and stare him down, conscious of Carver standing before Bethany behind me. There's a haze of pain in the man's eyes, I notice, and I can't help but wonder if he even feels it.

"Dear, they saved us. The Maker understands." Finally, at these words from the woman, the Templar - Wesley, she'd called him - deflates a bit.

"Of course," he sighs.

"I am Aveline Vallen. This is my husband, Ser Wesley," the woman states, officially introducing them both. "We can hate each other when we're safe from the horde."

"A strange time to be hunting apostates," I say, wanting to know more before allowing them near Liane and Bethany. "His fellows left with the Chantry priests."

"I was traveling to Denerim on business for the Order," Ser Wesley responds, "but I had to turn south when I heard of Ostagar."

"Bad luck - and judgement - brought us together here before the attack," Aveline adds, a bit of anger in a few of her words. I'm not sure if it's directed at him or at herself.

"The nice Templar has been convinced to postpone his hunt for illegal mages," Liane intones. "So let's not dwell upon it, shall we?" I nod once.

"Wise girl," Aveline concedes.

"You're quick to offer your allegiance," I state, ever the one to question. And I always seek to protect my family.

"Another blade between us and the Darkspawn?" Carver interjects. "Yes, please."

"So long as the horde is their first concern," Bethany adds.

"My duty is clear," Ser Wesley states before adding, "but that… is for another day. If we are granted that opportunity."

"We will be fine," Aveline states; I'm not sure she fully believes it. "We all will."

"For a while," I say, bringing attention to myself again, "it looked like we were the only ones to escape the Darkspawn."

"We aren't free of them yet," Carver states. "You saw Ostagar. This is just the start." I nod once in acknowledgement of his words.

"You were there?" Aveline asks, surprised and looking at Carver. "Yes, I see it now. Third company, under Captain Varel." I hope she doesn't remember me there.

"Then you saw how the whole of the army was defeated," I state.

"We fell to betrayal, not the Darkspawn," she responds. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who had seen that. "This arm of the horde will not have the same advantage."

"The wrath of the Templars is terrible, indeed," Liane states. I cannot help by rub lightly over the wrap I keep on my left forearm, under my bracer, hiding my Soul Mark.

"Moreso their wives," Ser Wesley admits. "But so long as there is a greater danger, you and I have an accord."

"Thank you, Wesley," Aveline says softly before turning back to us. "For now, we move with you. North is cut off. We barely escaped the main body of the horde."

"Then we're trapped!" exclaimed Carver. "The Wilds are to the south! That's no way out!" I exchange a look with Liane; Mother's soft sob is audible behind us.

"If the options are south or die," I state, turning to look at Carver, "I'll take our chances with south." That said, I start walking, turning us south and avoiding the area around Lothering. We walk for quite a while, occasionally skirmishing with some Darkspawn. Ser Wesley stays out of the fighting to protect Mother, but I can't help noticing how pale he is getting.

We approach a plateau and a knot forms in my stomach. As soon as the five of us are standing on the flat ground, I feel it shake. Ser Wesley remains back with Mother as we all draw our weapons, the shaking ground doing so in a rhythmic manner reminiscent of running steps. In moments, we know why. A giant Darkspawn like the one I witnessed kill King Cailan comes charging up onto the plateau and into our midst. It's attack is so sudden, none of us move until it roars and grabs both Bethany and Carver in it's huge paws. Liane is frozen, as is Aveline, but I've seen it's like before and react before it can kill my siblings.

Leaping into action, I slice at it's legs, distracting it from it's prey. The movement also rips Liane from her paralysis and she begins throwing bolts of ice at it. Within moments, Aveline has joined in. I make the killing blow, leaping and landing on it's chest much as I witnessed Duncan do at the Battle of Ostagar, sinking my blades deep enough that it drops both Bethany and Carver. A twist of a blade before I free it only to sink it deep once more in the Darkspawn. I do this once more as it topples backward with the momentum of my leap and rapid strikes. It is dead by the time it hits the ground.

But we don't have time to worry about the younger twins as waves of Darkspawn clamber up to us. Mother and Ser Wesley are forced to join us on the plateau, and they pull the twins with them, sheltering near a ridge on the plateau. I lose focus on them as I strive to keep the attention of the Darkspawn on myself, Liane, and Aveline. It works. But the waves keep coming.

"There's no end to them!" Liane cries as we're surrounded. We back up to keep ourselves between the horde and our injured. A sudden growl arrests everyone's attention as we all look at the top of the ridge behind us. There, unfurling it's wings, is a great dragon. It roars and the Darkspawn begin to flee. Then it takes flight and releases a fiery breath, burning every Darkspawn the flames touch. We watch in awe, then slight fear as it turns back to us. It lands, finishing off a few of the 'spawn that were too slow and had avoided the flames. Then, it turns to us and in the blink of an eye it is no longer a dragon, but a woman. She approaches us.

"Well, well, what have we here?" she asks. Liane and I begin to approach her, but the sound of armor arrests our attention. Ser Wesley had collapsed in Aveline's arms; his pallor is sickly and grey, his eyes not focusing on anything. The woman continues as if the Templar hadn't collapsed. "It used to be we never got visitors to the Wilds, but now it seems they arrive in hordes!"

"Impressive," Liane quips. "Where'd you learn how to turn into a dragon?"

"Perhaps I _am_ a dragon," the woman responds cryptically. "If so, count yourselves lucky. The smell of burning Darkspawn does nothing for the appetite. If you wish to flee the Darkspawn, you should know you are heading in the wrong direction."

"So you're just going to leave us here?" I ask.

"And why not?" is her response. I have no answer for that, at first, but she continues before I can come up with one. "I spotted a most curious sight: a mighty ogre, vanquished! Who could perform such a feat? But now my curiosity is sated, and you are safe… for the moment. Is that not enough?"

"You could show me that trick of yours," Liane suggests. "That looks useful." That earns a laugh from the mysterious woman.

"I daresay it is! Such a clever tongue for a mage! Tell me, clever child: how do you intend to outrun the Blight?"

"We're going to Kirkwall - in the Free Marches," my twin responds.

"Kirkwall?" The woman sounds surprised. "My, but that is quite the voyage you plan. So far… simply to flee the Darkspawn."

"Any better suggestions?" I ask before adding, "I hear the Deep Roads are vacant now." She laughs again.

"Oh, you I like! Hurtled into the chaos, you fight… and the world will shake before you." That sounds more like Liane than me, but the woman turns away in thought. She murmurs to herself a bit before turning back around and looking both Liane and I over once. Approaching us again, she says, "It appears fortune smiles on us both today. I may be able to help you yet."

"There must be a catch," Liane states, skeptical. The woman again laughs.

"There is always a catch. Life is a catch! I suggest you catch it while you can!" At her words, I turn to Liane.

"Should we even trust her? We don't even know what she is!"

"I know what she is," Aveline says from behind us. She's still kneeling at Wesley's side and he's looking so much worse. "The Witch of the Wilds."

"Some call me that," the woman admits. "Also Flemeth. Asha'bellanar. An 'old hag who talks too much!' Does it matter? I offer you this: I will get your group past the horde in exchange for a simple delivery to a place not far out of your way. Would you do this for a 'Witch of the Wilds'?" I turn to Liane and Aveline.

"Should we trust her?" I repeat.

"Wesley is injured," Aveline admits. "We'll never escape the Darkspawn."

"If you need to," Wesley groans, "leave me behind."

"No!" exclaims Aveline. "I said I would drag you out if I had to, and I meant it!" Wanting to give the couple a little privacy, I turn back to… to Flemeth.

"What is a Witch of the Wilds, exactly?" I'd heard rumors around Ostagar, but I seldom put too much stock in rumors until I could verify them.

"A Chasind legend," Aveline responds before Flemeth can. "Witches that steal children."

"Bah!" dismisses Flemeth. "As if I had nothing better to do!"

"Then you're an apostate," Liane surmises. I quirk an eyebrow; that makes sense.

"Yes, we have so much in common!" The sarcasm in that statement is thick. I choose to not address it.

"Regarding your request: You would go through all that trouble to have something delivered?" I ask, instead.

"I have… an appointment to keep." She seems reluctant to say more than that and, honestly, I don't want to pry. "It is far more convenient this way. Happily, you're not without your own needs."

"How much trouble will this delivery be, exactly?" I ask, remembering all too well how much trouble deliveries for Mother could be.

"About as much trouble as my saving your lives not five minutes ago." Fair enough.

"Good point," I acquiesce.

"If you knew my daughter, you'd know how seldom I hear that."

"Roast a few more Darkspawn," I begin.

"And we'll do anything you want!" Liane finishes. We share a quick look; it's not often we finish each other's sentences like that, knowing how unsettling people can find it.

"Sadly, my charity is at an end." I nod in understanding. "There is a clan of Dalish elves near the city of Kirkwall. Deliver this amulet to their Keeper, Marethari." She steps forward, handing me the amulet. I nod again as I take it and she continues. "Do as she asks with it and any debt between us is paid in full. Before I take you anywhere, however, there is another matter…" She turns to Wesley, who lays there coughing.

"No! Leave him alone!" Aveline cries out.

"What has been done to your man is within his blood already," Flemeth states, not unkindly.

"You lie!"

"She's right, Aveline," Wesley says softly. "I can feel the corruption inside me." Aveline looks distraught.

"What are you talking about?" Liane asks. We both approach slowly.

"From the Darkspawn. All that blood. I knew… when it happened." I exchange a look with my twin, thinking back to how the Templar kept getting paler and paler as we've moved.

"Then how much time before you….?" Aveline starts to ask. She can't finish her question.

"Not long now, if I am any judge," is Flemeth's soft reply.

"This corruption is the permanent sort, I take it?" I ask, looking at Liane. It's Flemeth who responds, however.

"The only cure I know of is to become a Grey Warden."

"And they all died at Ostagar," Aveline spits out. I shake my head to correct her, having seen the last two Grey Wardens in Ferelden travel through Lothering before the Darkspawn horde made it there.

"Not all," Flemeth says before I can speak. "But the last are now beyond your reach." Aveline returns to Wesley's side.

"Aveline," he says softly. "Listen to me."

"You can't ask me this! I won't!"

"Please. The corruption is a slow death. I can't…" This is painful to watch, but both my twin and I steel ourselves to it. We will bear witness. Together, we kneel on the other side of Wesley.

"He's your husband, Aveline," I say softly. "We can't decide his fate." She looks at us for a moment before nodding. I can't help but fight the prickling behind my eyes.

"Be strong, my love," Wesley whispers. He pulls a dagger out from behind himself, where it had been attached to the back of his belt, and she places her hands on his as, together, they place it against his chest. I worry it won't pierce the chestplate he wears. They share a look, then ne nods and together they plunge the blade home. My worry was unfounded. After a moment, Aveline closes Wesley's eyes and stands, taking up his shield.

"Without an end, there can be no peace," Flemeth states before turning and walking away. "It gets no easier. Your struggles have only just begun."

We have no choice but to follow.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes on SoulMarks:
> 
>  **Dwarves:** Name in dwarven runes  
>  **Elves:** Song in their heads; only race that can have both the song and the marks on the skin  
>  **Qunari:** Intricate designs that symbolize the Qunari; unchanging and are indicative of where that Qunari is at that time of their lives  
>  **Humans:** Symbol that has meaning; changes as the person changes. They also will occasionally share the dreams of their soulmate once they have met them.
> 
> The names/marks show up on the other person.


End file.
